The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-08-06
GEN BUTLER AND MRS. MUMFoRD.
a Piece of War History by the Chief
Actor in II.
From The Nepo Orleans Picdyu'te.

! Gen. Butler has for years been able 10 re-
tain in office in Washington the widow of
Mumford, whom he had hanged IN New
/ Orleans" Upon the publication of this
! statement Mr.. Lanier Dunn, of Warm
| Springs, Va, who married ward and
niece Of Gen. Butler, addressed a note to
the General requesting him TO state the facts
in regard to Mrs. Munford, and received
the following answer:
WASHINGTON, June "a, 1887.
MB Dear Mr. Dunn.
y on ask me to state the facts to you in
regard to the late Mrs Mumford. | have
not made any public statement about the
| matter because didn't care to bring her
name into prominence and expose her to
vulgar curiosity during her life Her
husband, man of some prominence among
his class, melted mob and tore down the
United States flag from the mint OF the
| United States after the surrender of the city
of New Orleans The flag was torn into
shreds, and portions of it were worn at the
buttonhole as a trophy by himself and his
associates. The facts being made known to
me, he was arrested, brought before
military commission for trial. and
that commission found him guilty and re-
ported him and his action to me, as com
handing general After much thought
upon the subject l deemed it was for the
best interests of the people of the United
States, and especially OF Louisiana, that an
example should be made of him specially,
because his act came very near bringing a
bombardment upon the city by. the fleet,
because tearing down the flag was a signal
that the city had assumed to consider itself
unsurrendered and desired to open hostili-
ties | therefore ordered his execution on the
mint, at the place where he had torn down
the flag, which was done.
Shortly before his execution Mrs. Mum
ford called upon me TO lntercode for ms
life. l told her that my decision was IRE
vocoble. She was Northern lady by
birth: to,d her inrther that L Regretted
the effect OF my action upon herself and
family, and that if in the hereafter | could
do anyGhlng TO alleviate her great mls!or-
tlres sue might call upon me as a trleno.
The best thing she could 40 Tor her husband
then was TO go to her husband ana assure
him that his sentence was lrTevocabe, ana
would give her an order to be admitted to his
presence, to stay with Inn as long as she liked
up TO the time OF his execution, and directed
my orderly to take her and her children In
my carriage to the place OF his confinement.
This was in the summer OF '62. Long at
forwards Il should say IN 6S) L received n
letter from lady acquaintance OF mine In
the north saying that she knew Mrs. Mum
ford, who was Ill distress, ana she told her
| had promised TO beirlend her when could,
and asked me If would allow Airs. Mum
ford to see me at Washington. L answered
that would be glad 10 see Mrs. Muntord
if she desired.
few days after Mrs. Mumford called on
me, and in answer to nv question how she
was getting on she gave me the following
narration: That soon after her husbands
death a subscription had been made in the
South for her and her childrenS benefit of
considerable sums OF money, but as it was
Confederate money it had not been much
benefit. That a considerable portion of all
of it had been placed III the hands OF trus-
tee, clergyman, | think, who had bought
for her some land in Wytheville, Va, and had
quito finished. There was a carpenters lien
on her house, and it was about to be closed
upon that carpenters lien and she would
lose 1t unless she could get money enough TO
pay the carpenter. told her L would look
into the matter, and If she would call a
couple of days afterward would tell her
what could dofor her. photographed to
gentleman in Virginia, who had charge of
some property of mine, and asked him to go
and investigate Mrs. Mumfords matters
at Wytheville, and to pay whatever was
necessary to save her house. He went and
Immediately telegraphed me how matters
stood, and that the carpenters lien was
something like $50, which he adjusted and
charged to nv account Mrs. Mumford
called and told her what had been done,
and she was very grateful.
| then said to her: How are you to liver
She said all she had to live upon was what
she and her children could earn or raise
from the land, of which there was a very
few acres. But" | said, "hOw are your
children to he educated, thenN She said
she didn't know. We'll" l said, you
| never can get on in that way. | will see if
anything else can be done for you, and if
| You will call on me in two or three days
will see what can be done" | further said
Madam, you have been very profuse in
| your thanks to me; will you do me
| the favor to put what you say
to me in writing in the form of a
| little nOte2 am going out now, and you
| can write il here at my table and leave it
| for me, and as You say you are stopping at
Alexandria with a friend, if YOU will call
to-morrOw or next day | will tell You
whether | can do anything more for you y
On my return | found her note very well
written and well composed, showing that
she was lady of education What l
wanted of the note was that it should be a
| sort of civil service examination to ascer-
tain If | could recommend her for a clerk
| was satisfied and went to my friend,
Mr.. Commissioner Douglass, of the IN
ternal revenue bureau. and told HIM
| that J must have a clerkship for lady if
possible. He told me that it was hardly
there was a vacancy. / told him the story.
| V~r,a Il L.